Coal-washing jig.



c. A. WENDELL. COAL WASHING JIG.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-8,1915.

Patented Dec. 7', 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Nm V m C. A. WENDELL.

COAL WASHING JIG. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1915.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2- UNITED OFFICE.

CARL A. WENDELL, OF J'OLIET, ILLINOIS.

COAL-WASHING JIG.

Application filed March 8,

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CARL A. WENDELL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of J ohet, in the county of Will :and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal-Washing Jigs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for Washing coal and has particular reference to a novel jig or concentrator in which air and water are utilized to cause the separating action.

An object in the construction of the present device is to eliminate all bearings, pistons, belting, shafting,.etc., and to cause the agitation of the coal by changes in the level i of the water used in the washing action.

A further object is to construct such a device which shall occupy a comparatively small space but which will handle a large tonnage; a device in which vibration is eliminated and the stresses equally distributed thereby making possible a much lighter construction; a device in which the commonly employed mechanism is dispensed with, with the resultant economy in horse power and upkeep. The construction shown in the present application relies upon a pulsating action of the water within the jig for the purpose of agitating the material and causing the separation of the slate from the coal. Preferably the coal to be washed is crushed and is laid onto the screen which is covered with pieces of feldspar of a size considerably greater than the mesh of the screen. The water within the container is then given a pulsating action which causes 7 the coal and slate to stratify, the slate being heavier than the coal. Likewise on account of its weight the slate or refuse works through the feldspar bed and through the screen, the washed coal being discharged with the water.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1. is an elevation partly in section showing a jig constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a p an view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the valve.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that I provide an outer cylindrical casing in the form of a hopper 10, at its lower end and in the form of a dome 11, at its upper end. The metal of the dome extends down- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. '7, 1915.

1915. SerialNo.12,918.

wardlyfrom its inner edge as at 12, and terminates in a downwardly inclined chute 13, the lower end of the chute opening into a discharge outlet 14:, for the water and Washed coal. On the interior of the outer she ll is an inner shell 15, across the top of which a screen 16, is placed. The lower end of the inner shell is open and registers with an outlet 17, controlled by the gate valves 18, 1-9. An air conduit 20, is located above the dome 11, and communicates with the interior thereof by means of short tubes 21, equally spaced around the device. An exhaust fan 22, acting in conjunction with a suitable Valve 23, and a tank 24:, provides for an intermittent pneumatic action upon the water in the jig. The pulsating action of the water is secured by the employment of air pressure inducing means, such as the fan 22, which communicates by a short conduit 26 with the equalizing tank 24:. A conduit 27 connects the tank to the valve 23, the details of which are shown in Fig. 3. A similar conduit 28 connects the fan with the valve, the connection between the valve and the main, or conduit, 20 of the coal washing jig is in the form of a short tubular connection 29. The details of the valve, as shown in Fig. 3, include a casing 30 within which is mounted a three-part piston 31, '32, 33, all actuated by a single stem 34, the same being caused to reciprocate by a cam 35,

actuated by a belt pulley 36 connected to a suitable source of power. The casing is provided with a port 37 communicating wlth the conduit 27, ports 38, 39 communicating with the conduit 29 and the main 20, ports 40, 41 communicating with the supply conduit 28, and the port 42 communicating with the atmosphere. In the position shown in Fig. 3, the air is being drawn out of the mains 20, 29, into the exhaust fan 22, for the reason that the ports 38, 40 are in communication. The pressure developed at this stage by the fan is accommodated by the equaliz ing tank 24, the outlet from the tank being closed by the position of the piston 32. lVhen the piston. is shifted to a reverse position, the port 38 is closed and the ports 37 and 39 are in communication, whereby the pressure accumulated in the equalizer tank is directed into the main and not only restores the pressure in the main to atmospheric but preferably raises the pressure slightly thereabovc. In this position of the parts the supply conduit 28 is open tothe atmosphere because the P01138410, 4:2 are in communieation, thus furnishing a supply of air atatmospheric iiressure to the blower which is forced into the equalizing tank in readiness for further use. The details of this valve are disclosed and claimed in my ropending application, Serial No. 12,920, tiled March l), 1315.

('oal is supplied through the inlet 25, to the surface of the screen 16, a bed of feldspar or similar material been placed on the screen. ll'ater admitted through the pipes 26, and tills the inner and outer shells until it overflows the top of the inner shell. The fan having been started the valve controls the air pressure in such manner as to intermittently reduce the air pressure in the dome and restore the pressure to atmospheric and even raise it above atmospheric pressure. Fan being an exhaust tan withdraws the air from the outer shell of the coal washer and delivers it into tank it. The delivering of this air into tank 24 gradually this said tank and raises the pressure of the air contained in the tank to a few pounds above atmospheric pressuie. Valve 23. which is covered in a eo-pending application, is adapted to alternately open and rlose the pipe to the tan and to the tank so that when the valve is in a position to close the pipe to the fan the passage from the tank to the. shell of the washer open and the air in the tank 2 thus escapes into the outer shell of the \"ushrr. This air being under pressure of a lev pounds above atmospheri is sullieient to cause a downward movement. of the water in the outer shell. llence an upward mos"- ment of the water through the inner shell. When the valve is in a position to close the opening from tank 24- the opening trom the tan 2'! is opened and the tan i2 withdraws the air from the outer shell ol the washer, thus causing an upward movement of the watein the outer shell and consequent downward movement oi the water in theinner shell, ther by imparting;- to the water in the inner shell theneressarv agitation torthe washing of the road on the screen 6. This causes a vertical r :iproration o the water within the dome and a consequent pulsation or \ci'tirul reciprocation ol' the water in the inner shr-ll and liln-u'isc the agitation of the r-oal whi h rest upon the s reen. .is this mail is agitated llnheavier materials vsuch as late arilint-red down through the li-ldspar bed and the s reen and dropped into the lower portion ol' the shell from which sueh r l'use i removed as required by inanipulal' inn ilu- 'Jll\'t, l i. il and withiuu stopping operations. lrol'erably th area i the screen bed is substantially the surmlluarea ol the dome and iheiel'orc the displarw ment ol' water in the inner lu-ll ill be qual to the displacement in the donu.

having previously By the use of the construction shown it will e seen that the agitation ot the material is caused with a minimum of loss due to 'lriction the air and water developing practically the entire ilriction loss and this loss. ol course. is comparatively small. Thus it is 'lound that a washing apparatus ot a capacity considerably greater than the machines at present in operation may be constructed with a horse power consumption very much less than heretofore thought possible.

()bviousty the construction is capable of several modifications and such modifications as are within the scope of my claims I coir sider within the spirit of my invention.

1 claim:

1. In a coal washingapparatus.thecoinhination of inner and outer shells each of which is adapted to contain water, the pressure on the surface of the water in theinner and outer compartments being substantially balanceal, means for supporting a body of material to be washed within the inner shell, and pneumatic means for causing an alternate reduction otpressure below atmospheric and increase of pressure above atmospheric and thereby causing;- pulsating action to the water in the inner compartment and therefore an agitation of the material therein, substantially as described.

In. a coal washing apparatus, the combination of adjacent water containers, means within one of said containers for s-aupporting a bed of material to be washed, pneumatic means acting upon the surface of the water within one container and means for causing a. pulsation of said pneumatic means whereby the pressure is alternately cl'ianged from positive to negative whereby the material is agitated and the portions of ditl'erent specific gravity caused to stratify, substantially as described.

3. In a coal washing apparatus, the combination of adjacent shells, means for sealin the top of one of said containers whereby the air pressure on the water therein may be reduced and the elevation of the water within said container changed thereby, means in the other container for sup 'iorting a. bed of n'iaterial to be washed, and means for repeatedly changing the pressure conditions in the sealed container from above to below atmospheric whereby the liquid in the other container is alternately recipro rated and the material thereby agitated.

l. in a coal washing" device. the combination oi a pair of ('oncentrioally located containers the top of one of whirl is sealed to the atmosphere a screen near the top of the ollu'l container, pneumatic means communieating with the sealed rontainer and acting H]un| (he surfar-e of liquid therein, said pmumatic means being arranged to cau e pulsations ol. the liquid within the sealed to below atmospheric and consequently the agitation of the liquid and materials in said inner container, substantially as described.

5. In a Washing apparatus for granular material, the combination of a pair of concentrically arranged containers, means for sealing the top of the outer container tojfthe atmosphere, the top and bottom of said? inner container being open, a screen .Within said inner container, means for causing a periodic change in pressure conditions on the water Within said sealed container by changing said pressure from above to below atmospheric and consequently an agitation of the water within said inner container, means for delivering to said screen thematerial to be washed and for discharging the washed material over the edge of said inner container due to the agitation caused by the water.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. CARL A. VVENDELL.

\Vitnesses THOMAS J. Sampson WILBUR C. FRY, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington. D. 0. 

